Many manufactured components, particularly those associated with internal combustion engines, experience some form of internal surface damage during use. Such damage may result in eventual failure of the component. For example, surfaces within the fluid filled cooling jacket of an engine block may experience cavitation damage from rapid formation and collapse of vapor pockets within the cooling fluid. This damage can be particularly difficult to repair when located on irregularly shaped internal surfaces or difficult to reach areas of the component, such as are found within the cooling jacket or other areas of a cylinder bore associated with an engine block. As a result, these components are often deemed irreparably damaged and scrapped.
Remanufacturing is a process of disassembling a manufactured product such that components of the product may be cleaned, repaired or replaced, and then reassembling the product such that it is returned to a “nearly-new” condition. The goal of a remanufacturing operation may be to restore the life expectancy to that of a new product. During remanufacturing, many components may be reused with little or no processing, provided extensive damage or failure of the component has not occurred. Such a component may be inspected prior to reuse to verify its condition. Once the component's condition is verified as acceptable, the component may be cleaned and reused.
The ability to reuse a component during remanufacturing, as opposed to crafting a new one, is a fundamental goal of a remanufacturing business. Reuse of components can lead to substantial savings and, therefore, may be a key driver of profits for such businesses. It has been estimated that the U.S. automotive remanufacturing industry alone may have ten billion dollars in total annual sales. The Remanufacturing Institute, “Estimated CVG & Auto/Light Truck 2003 U.S. Expenditure on Remanufactured Components,” available at http://www.reman.org/pdf/CVGmkt.pdf (2003). Given the size of the industry, cost savings obtained by maximizing reuse may have a substantial impact on remaining competitive and profitable within the industry. Further, remanufacturing may result in substantial conservation of energy and natural resources, among other things.
However, to successfully reuse a component, it may be desirable to repair damage to the component such that the component is as it was when first created. As discussed above, this has not always been possible where damage has occurred in difficult to reach areas (e.g., internal cavities) and/or on irregularly shaped surfaces. To date, repair methods for such damage have included various techniques for metal replacement (e.g., spray-on metals, welding, etc.), such techniques were very expensive and less effective than techniques utilizing repair materials (e.g., aluminum phosphates) described herein. Further, expensive skilled labor was required to execute such methods based on the precision and technique for application. Moreover, spray-on and welded metals may be subject to additional cavitation and/or damage once the component is placed back into operation, whereas utilizing embodiments of the present invention, such future damage may be substantially reduced and/or prevented depending on the repair material used (e.g., an aluminum phosphate). Given the cost of reproducing a component, even from recycled material, and the cost of utilizing skilled labor, it is highly desirable to develop methods for repairing the existing component that may be performed using less costly measures.
One system for applying pressure to repair materials on surface areas is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,242 (“the '242 patent”) to Reis et al. issued Aug. 20, 2002. The '242 patent describes a pressure applicator with an annular suction member for providing a suction attachment to a surface surrounding the surface to be repaired. The '242 patent further describes a flexible pressure bladder disposed beneath a cover of device and within the interior of the suction member configured to apply pressure to the surface to be repaired.
Although the disclosure of the '242 patent may provide a system for applying pressure to repair materials on surface areas, the systems and methods of the '242 patent are directed primarily to repairing external surfaces of an aircraft, which, unlike the complex geometry of a cylinder block, are more easily accessed. Further, the systems and methods of the '242 patent may be unsuitable for applying pressure to rough internal surfaces of components such as the water jacket of an engine block. The system of the '242 patent requires that a surface near the repaired area be suitable for enabling suction type or other adhesion to the surface. While this may be possible on the substantially smooth external surfaces of an aircraft, this may not be possible in areas of complex geometry such as those found in an engine block. Further, because the disclosure of the '242 patent provides no guidance as to what materials may be utilized for repairing surface damage beyond an adhesive or other filler material.
The disclosed system and method are directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.